How to spend your Christmas in Madrid | ShMadrid https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en Welcome home Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:59:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8 Spending Christmas in Madrid https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/spending-christmas-in-madrid/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/spending-christmas-in-madrid/#respond Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:40:30 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=4092

Christmas Eve is known in Spanish as Nochebuena, a night where families get together to share a meal. In a typical Madrilian Christmas Eve, the meal will start with a Madrilian consommé, a type of clear soup to which they add some vegetables and a large variety of meats like beef, chicken and bones.

The consommé is cooked for four hours, and served with a side of Savoy cabbage, prepared with onions and bacon.

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For the main dish, some families prepare fish dishes and some prefer meat. One of the most famous Christmas Eve fish dishes is the besugo al horno, or baked sea bream.

Those who prefer meat usually go with turkey or lamb. The meal is accompanied by a glass of cava, Spain’s version of the Champagne. ShMadrid has more information on foods and activities for the holiday season.

Typically Madrid at Christmas time

Star foods of the holiday season

But the star foods of the holiday season in Madrid are the sweets. The most typical ones are the turrón, a thick nougat bar usually made of almonds, sugar and honey; polvorones, a pressed powdered biscuit made of almonds and butter; and the Roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped pastry filled with Spanish custard, topped with crystallized fruit.

nougat

Photo via Pixabay

After dinner, some families play songs and sing, and others go to the Misa del gallo (the rooster’s mass), which happens at midnight, to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The next day, families get together again to celebrate Christmas. The celebration is very similar to the one on Christmas Eve: good food, singing and joy.

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christmas present

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Though the official day for gift-giving in Spain is Dia de los Reyes Magos, the Three Wise Men Day, on January 6th, some families have started to adopt the international figure of Santa Claus.

When people, especially the kids, wake up on the 25th, they run to the living-room to discover what gifts Santa Claus has left them under the Christmas tree, or by the chimney.

Related article: Celebrating New Year’s Eve In Madrid

Activities in Madrid Spain during Christmas

Visiting the Christmas Markets

During the holiday season, Madrid gets filled with Christmas markets, in which you can purchase a variety of items related to the holidays, like Christmas trees, ornaments, candles or individual figures to create your own nativity scene.

christmas decorations at christmas market

Photo via Pixabay

Some booths also sell items like jewelry and handcrafted items that can make great gifts. You can also find booths selling tasty treats like turróns, polvorones, and churros with hot chocolate.

Taking a tour to see the Christmas lights in Madrid

During the holiday season, Madrid gets turned into a wonderland, with Christmas lights that are turned on daily from 6 m to 10 pm or 11 pm, depending on if it is a weekday or the weekend.

decorations streets of madrid

Photo via Pixabay

During this season, there is a bus that takes visitors on a tour of the Christmas lights around the city, called Navibus. The bus costs only 2€ per person, taking visitors on a 50-minute tour.

Related article: A Traditional Christmas Dinner in Madrid

Discover Madrid’s Nativity Scenes

There are several nativity scenes you can visit in Madrid. The largest one is Belén de Francisco Salzillo, in Centro at Palacio Cibeles.

nativity scene recreated with houses and people

Photo via Pixabay

There are also nativity scenes at Plaza del Sol, the Royal Church of San Ginés, at the Corpus Christi Convent of the Nuns Jerónimas, at St, Michaels Basilica, the Church of Jesús de Medinaceli, and at Palacio de Cibeles.

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What are your favourite foods and activities during the Christmas season?
Tell us about other things to do on Christmas day in Madrid!

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Madrid’s Christmas Traditions https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/madrids-holiday-traditions/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/madrids-holiday-traditions/#respond Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:26:23 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=4063

On most countries in the world, the holiday season has two main days of celebrations: Christmas and New Year’s Eve. In Spain, though, celebrations start on the 24th of December and keep on coming until the 6th of January.

Today, ShMadrid tells you a bit more about the city of Madrid and its traditions.

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Discover Madrid during Christmas

Nochebuena

It all starts with Christmas Eve, known as Spanish as Nochebuena. This a night where families get together and have mainly seafood meals and drink some cava, the Spanish version of Champagne.

christmas tree decorations in red and white

Photo via Pixabay

Some Spanish families have adopted the international tradition of Santa Claus, which means kids will receive presents either on the night of the 24th or the following day. Traditionally, the Spanish day for gifts is the 6th of January.

Related article: Christmas Gift Shopping in Madrid

Christmas Day

On the 25th of December, madrileños (people from Madrid) celebrate Christmas Day, joining again in the family to share a large meal of roast lamb.

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New Year’s Eve

On New Year’s Eve hoards of people go out into the streets to celebrate together, waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

The most popular area for this ceremony is Puerta del Sol in the district of Centro, a plaza that provides an excellent view of the large clock at Real Casa de Correos.

grapes for new year's eve

Photo via Pixabay

Even those who cannot go to the plaza watch the Puerta del Sol celebration on television.

When the clock pointer finally reaches 12, people eat twelve grapes (one grape per month), which supposedly brings them luck for the following year, and toast with cava.

After that, most young people go to bars or nightclubs to celebrate.

Related article: Celebrating New Year’s Eve In Madrid

Three Wise Men

On the 5th of January, adults and children hit the streets to watch the Three Wise Men parade which runs through the main streets of Madrid.

Children love going to the parade, not only because the colorful costumes and music amuse them, but also because the Wise Men hand out candy.

three kings arrive with gifts

Photo via Pixabay

The 6th of January is the last day of celebration in the Spanish holiday season. This is the day in which Spanish people celebrate the Epiphany, a Christian holiday that commemorates two special events: the Three Wise Men arrival and Jesus’ baptism.

This day is usually referred to as Dia de los Reyes, and is traditionally the official day for gift-giving.

nougat or spanish turrón

Photo via Pixabay

The holiday season in Madrid is also a season for sweets. The most typical sweets are the turrón, a thick nougat bar usually made of almonds, sugar and honey; polvorones, a pressed-powdered biscuit made of almonds and butter; and the Roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped pastry filled with Spanish custard, topped with crystallized fruit.

So there you have it. After reading this article you will know about the Christmas traditions in Madrid and Spain.

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Where to Have Christmas Dinner in Madrid https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/where-to-go-for-christmas-dinner-in-madrid/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/where-to-go-for-christmas-dinner-in-madrid/#respond Sun, 05 Dec 2021 18:00:07 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=7837

The 25th of December is one of the most important dates on the Christian calendar, where the birth of Jesus, the son of God, is celebrated heartily. Leading up to such a great event, there are a number of lively celebrations that live up to the excitement of the holiday.

For some, this makes the idea of a dinner out following all the work of the previous weeks sound much more enticing than cooking a large dinner at home. Today in this article from ShMadrid, we want to give you some suggestions for places to go out to Christmas dinner in the capital.  

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Christmas dinner restaurants in Madrid

The gastronomic offering in Madrid is widely varied and contains a number of high-quality options for all tastes. For this reason, it’s not too hard to find the right restaurant for your family’s Christmas dinner.

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Milos

One good restaurant option is the restaurant Milos, a Greek food option to switch up the Christmas menu a little bit.

christmas dinner in madrid with brussel sprouts

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Milos offers an authentic and elegant menu, where you can find appetizers such as bruschetta with feta cheese and cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and mint leaves and other delicious plates to share such as bacon-wrapped eggplant roasted in orange and topped with tomato sauce and vegetables in a rain of feta cheese, and grape leaves with rice and fresh spices.

They also feature a puff pastry table, with spanakopita (filo dough filled with spinach and bits of cheese) and tiropita (filo dough filled with cheese) and orzo pasta with lobster and vegetables.

fancy dinner table

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For a second course, you can choose between lamb frikanse with French chives and avgolemono sauce, tsipoura (fillet of gilt head bream fish with fish veloute sauce and rice and leeks) and xoirino karre (creamy pork carre made in the oven with apple compote and potatoes).

Don’t miss out on the desserts; you’ll find delicious options such as ekmek kataifi (a creamy cake with nata and pistachios on a nut-filled cake) and greek yogurt with honey and nuts. Milos sets a price of 30 euros per person for this meal.

Related article: Christmas with Children in Madrid

Purnima

Another alternative is Purnima, an Indian restaurant with lovely jungle decoration that will add an exquisite touch to your Christmas dinner.

Purnima offers a Christmas menu at 75 euros per person that consists of entrees such as pakora, vegetable pastries in chickpea flour, and samosas, empanada-style corn treats filled with meat and spices.

indian cuisine

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After the entrees you can enjoys courses that include Murgh ke tikka, made of chicken breast marinated in yogurt, lime, ginger, and aromatic herbs, or seekh kebab, which consists of spicy grilled tandoori lamb with spices and aromatic herbs.

You won’t be left hungry, because besides vegetables (chickpeas, mushrooms or a vegetable mix) there is Naan, a type of natural Indian bread, and Basmati Pulau (Basmati rice with cardamom, cinnamon and star anise).

christmas table

Photo via Pixabay

To finish of the night, Purnima offer a variety of delicious desserts, like for example: mango ice cream, carrot cake, and Gulabjamun, fried milk pellets dipped in syrup.

They also have a special menu for New Year’s Eve. You can check the contents of both special dinners at Purnima here.

Related article: Decorating Your House for Christmas

Lúa

Lastly, if you prefer something exquisite and you are not bound by a limited budget for the month of December, we recommend the Christmas and New Year’s Eve menu at Lúa, a restaurant found at Paseo Eduardo dato, 5

The price is 320 euros per person for 8 courses (wine pairing included), and for this you will be served, among many other delicious dishes, oysters, caviar brioche, lobster, and suckling lam. The dessert is also worth mentioning: Santiago’s cake and Christmas sweets.

elegant table setting

Photo via Pixabay

If you didn’t go out for Christmas dinner in Madrid this year, but you would like to enjoy a special and festive meal before or right after the holidays, check out Lúa en tu casa with delivery and collection options.

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Are you planning on having a Christmas Eve dinner in Madrid?
Or are you spending hours and hours in your own kitchen and surprising your dinner guests?

Tell us what is most important to you spending Christmas Eve in Madrid!

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A Traditional Christmas Dinner in Madrid https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/a-traditional-christmas-dinner-in-madrid/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/a-traditional-christmas-dinner-in-madrid/#respond Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:00:56 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=7893

There is generally certain social and cultural significance that goes along with foods prepared for specific holidays and festivals, and this significance is what causes them to be as traditional as they are.

It could be due to the weather of the time of year it is prepared for, or related to the taking advantage of specific fruits that are in harvest at that time, which people in years past working the land naturally would have used.

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However, with the passing of time, many traditional foods have evolved from just a necessity or convenience to being more elaborate and delicious gastronomic celebrations, meant to be shared with loved ones during special times such as the Christmas holidays.

So, what do Madrileños traditionally feast on around Christmas? Today, we’ll be telling you just that in this article from ShMadrid.  

A traditional Madrid Christmas feast

Madrid is a highly multicultural city, where for centuries people of all different Spanish regions and different countries have coexisted.

table set for christmas

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For this reason, food eaten in Spain at Christmas can vary dramatically among one another, but it’s true that there are certain conventional foods that many homes eat at this time of year.

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Cocido madrileño

Here’s what that generally includes: one of the star plates of Madrileño gastronomy is the well-known cocido madrileño, a nutritious and restorative stew that contains beans, vegetables and meat.

Cocido madrileño

Photo by josewolff via VisualHunt

At Christmastime, it is traditional to take the broth of this soup and save the rest of the ingredients. This stew is usually cooked slowly over four hours, with love and care, gradually adding tomato to the dish to create its distinctive color.

The stew is meant to set the stomach and prepare it for the other, heavier parts of the traditional Madrid Christmas meal in Spain, which we’ll describe below.

Related article: Where To Go For Christmas Dinner In Madrid

Side dishes

As a side dish to cocido madrileno, many Madrid households serve red cabbage, julienned and boiled with bacon and onion to give it more flavor.

It is a delight to eat, and is without a doubt the best prelude to a larger meal worthy of such an event as Christmas.

To spice it up, it is generally served with seafood or snails cooked with black pudding, pepper and chorizo sausage, making a delicious meal.

several side dishes with the christmas dinner in madrid

Photo by MaxH42 via VisualHunt

There are two typical ways that main dishes tend to go; if we’re talking about fish, the most common dish is a juicy baked sea bream with lemon, parsley and garlic.

If you prefer meat, it’s common to cook a delicious suckling pig, baked lamb or pickled partridge.

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Christmas dessert

For dessert, as in nearly all the autonomous Spanish regions, it’s customary to serve an assortment of nougat and dried fruit and, in some cases, a type of cake filled with chocolate and pastry cream and decorated in holiday style, called the Christmas log.

This recipe is not a traditional Spanish recipe, but originally a French dessert, although it is widely known among many households in Madrid.

dessert with christmas

Photo via Pixabay

All these plates, as previously mentioned, can vary depending on the tastes and different backgrounds of the families, but these are some of the more common Christmas dishes in the Spanish capital.

If you find yourself in Madrid at this time of year, we recommend trying some of these delicious and traditional dishes.

Were you aware what food they eat in Spain with Christmas?
Share some of your favorite Christmas recipes!

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Travel Guide: Travel to Madrid as tourist https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/travel-to-madrid-as-tourist/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/travel-to-madrid-as-tourist/#respond Fri, 16 Oct 2020 08:35:48 +0000 https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=11103

Madrid is one of the main tourist destinations in Europe, it’s a city rich in culture and art, gastronomy, and entertainment. Moreover, it has more than 20 neighborhoods to visit, so you’ll never be stuck for places to visit. 

If you want to find a paradise for your trip, Madrid is your best destination. In this article of ShMadrid, we provide you a complete guide for your trip, so that you can enjoy your stay in this magnificent city to the fullest.

However, if you travel to Madrid as a tourist, it is essential to know the entry requirement of Spain. But don’t worry, you will find all the necessary information in this guide.

Madrid: Entry requirements of Spain

As we mentioned at the beginning, if you want to travel, it is essential to know the entry requirements for tourists and to dispose of all the required documents. 

For citizens of any state of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, you only need to present a valid national identity card or passport to enter Spain. 

If you come from EU countries, but not from the Schengen area, such as Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania, you will not need a visa either, but you will have to go through border controls.

If you are not from any of the previous cases, you will be obliged to apply for a short term Schengen visa to be able to stay in Spain for tourism.

You should apply for the tourist visa 3 months before the beginning of your stay, to ensure that it is approved at least fifteen days in advance. For more information about the requirements for a short term visa and the application form, you can consult the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

If you want to avoid all this complex application process of applying for a tourist visa, also to save the time of making visa appointments and waiting in line. You can ask help from expert companies of tourist visas, such as Byevisa. You will only need to provide your information to their platform, and they will do everything for you. Moreover, you can check every eVisa’s status in your email box. 

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Madrid: a perfect city for all kinds of vacations

Madrid is the perfect destination for any type of traveller. Whether you are a passionate lover of art, culture, and architecture, or a nature enthusiast with natural parks.

Meet the art, culture and architecture

Talking about art, culture, and architecture, it is indispensable to visit the Madrid de las Austrias, this area is especially appealing because of its historical and cultural importance. 

To begin with, you can visit the Puerta del Sol square. It is the most famous meeting point of the Madrid de las Austrias, it is also the junction of ten other streets where you can go for a walk:

  • Calle de Alcalá
  • Carrera de San Jerónimo
  • Calle Espoz y Mina
  • Calle de las Carretas
  • Calle del Correo
  • Calle Mayor
  • Calle del Arenal
  • Calle de Preciados
  • calle del Carmen
  • Calle de la Montera

Afterward, you can also visit Plaza de la Villa, which is one of the main cores of medieval Madrid. It is located in the historic center, near the Puerta del Sol, and has been the headquarters of the City Council of the capital. It is one of the places that you cannot miss on your route through the Madrid de Los Austrias.

In Plaza de la Villa, you will also find the monuments of the Casa y Torre de Los Lujanes, a 16th-century building in the Mudejar Gothic style. Then, the Casa de Cisneros is one of the oldest palatial houses in Madrid and the best plateresque style preserved in the capital. Finally, in the center, you can find the monument to Alvaro de Bazan, who is a Spanish military man and admiral.

Among the other famous squares in the Madrid de las Austrias, there are:

  • Plaza Mayor, where you can find stands mainly dedicated to numismatics and philately on Sundays
  • Plaza de la Provincia, where the Palacio de Santa Cruz is located
  • Plaza de Isabel II, it is also known as the Plaza de Ópera
  • Plaza de Oriente, it’s a rectangular square with a curved header, with a monumental character
  • Plaza de Ramales, a quiet place to have a brunch on the installed terraces
  • Plaza de la Villa, located in the historic center of Madrid, next to the Mayor street

Related article: The Neighbourhood of Los Austrias and its History

Breathe the fresh air in natural parks 

For nature park lovers, here is the plan for you!

On one hand, you have El Retiro, which is one of the main parks in Madrid, also one of the most preferred parks for tourists. If you are planning to travel with your children, the park will become their favorite place, you can go for a boat ride, you will find actors disguised as children’s characters wandering around this place, above all, you will find various swings distributed in different areas of the park. 

On the other hand, if you are looking for a romantic experience, El Capricho is your best choice. El Capricho park is the unique garden of romanticism that is conserved in Madrid. It is one of the most beautiful parks in the city but is also a great unknown. It is a perfect place for couples.

Lineal del Manzanares is another outstanding park where you can visit, it’s nowadays an archaeological and natural deposit of the Community of Madrid.

The park is divided into three stretches: the stretch 1 is urbanized with leisure and sports facilities, among them, La Caja Mágica stands out. Stretch 2, is not urbanized and is of great historical, ecological, and cultural value. Stretch 3, or the regional stretch, is the mouth of the Manzanares River into the Jarama River

Photo via Unsplash

Madrid: Rest well at nights

In a cosmopolitan city like Madrid, you can find all kinds of accommodations, which surely can fit your needs. 

If you want to spread out your stay in different accommodations, you have the option to stay in several hostels and hotels. But we advise you to find a Madrid’s real estate agency that offers all types of accommodation. In this way, from one website, you can find all your ideal accommodation of any length and anywhere in Madrid. 

Related article: Tips for a great visit to Madrid

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Tax Changes on Properties in 2020 https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/tax-changes-2020/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/tax-changes-2020/#respond Mon, 16 Mar 2020 10:54:56 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=10994

The Law on Measures of the Prevention of and Fight against Fiscal Fraud is a new regulation (in approval phase), launched by the Government that is led by Pedro Sánchez.

This new regulation results in tax increases in real estate operations in terms of Transfer Tax, Personal Income Tax, Property Tax and Inheritance and Gift Tax. Today’s article by ShMadrid will tell you more about it.

Related article: What is Happening on Madrid’s Real Estate Market in 2020?

Tax changes on properties in 2020 you might not yet be aware of

The tax rate for the Inheritance and Gift Tax and the Property Tax will no longer be based on the real value of the property, but on the market value. This means the value established with the Cadastre is the one that will be used for tax purposes. Some Autonomous Communities already use the value with the Cadastre to carry out relevant checks to see if taxes have been paid correctly.

papers and documents

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This means Tax Authorities will no longer have to visit each property that has been inherited, donated or sold, but that the tax will be calculated over the value approved by the Cadastre. As some experts are now pointing out, the market value is compared with prices from other similar transactions, without taking special circumstances into account, like building materials, the state the property is in, whether it has been renovated, etc.

So when you inherit or buy a house or someone gives you property, you must pay your taxes. It affects Property Tax, Transfer Tax and Inheritance and Gift Tax. From now on there are four elements to consider when doing your Personal Income Taxes: the cadastral value of a property, the acquisition price, the one verified by the Administration, and the one verified by the Cadastre. This measure will affect people who own real estate with a very low cadastral value or very low acquisition price, as now they must pay mandatory taxes.

Related article: Administrative Agencies in Madrid

The Cadastre’s reference value will motivate a tax payer to take action when appropriate or necessary. He now has to provide evidence that the inherited or purchased property has a lower market value than the value at the Cadastre.

form to fill out

Photo via Pixabay

The future Law against Fiscal Fraud is also contemplating the elimination of fiscal benefits in inheritance agreements when it comes to Personal Income Tax. This new regulation will result in the person receiving property as a gift before the death of the benefactor paying income tax on property that is then sold, taking into account its acquisition price and not its current value. (Years ago this would have cost much less…)

The blueprint of this law also provides for the verification of property values, in order to have both the buyer and seller of the property notified. In the end, when tax authorities discover that the value in the deeds is not the same as the market value or value with the Cadastre, the seller will be paying more income tax.

It must be said that this new law, of which the text had already been approved in October 2018, has come with a lot of surprises. Given the situation of political instability in the past new regulations had been delayed, but now they are here, and its main objective is to modify taxes on real estate operations to raise more money.

What is your opinion on property tax changes?

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Concerts in Madrid in 2020 https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/concerts-2020/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/concerts-2020/#respond Fri, 13 Mar 2020 08:53:24 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=10972

Every weekend there is a wide range of concerts taking place in Madrid, and 2020 will not be different or less exciting than previous years. It looks very promising! So today the team from ShMadrid has prepared a list of bands and singers that will be performing during the rest of the year, so you can select your favourite concert and buy tickets before they are sold out.

Related article: Enjoy Open-Air Music Events in Madrid

Scheduled concerts in Madrid for 2020

Madrid is all about music, and this year will bring you all kinds of music: indie, alternative, rock, pop and much, much more. Here is a list of scheduled concerts, so you only have to decide what band you like to go to and what date needs to be blocked in your agenda.

concert

Photo via Pixabay

Concerts from January to March 2020

  • Ibermúsica, the Vienna Boys’ Choir (an Austrian choir) will give a concert on February 27 in the Auditorio Nacional de Música (Sala Sinfónic).
  • Goran Bregovic, the Balkan composer with his soundtrack El tiempo de los gitanos, will perform in La Riviera on February 28.
  • Los Chikos del Maíz are on their 2019/2020 Comanchería Tour, and they will perform in La Riviera on February 29.
  • Jethro Tull, the progressive rock band, will be at IFEMA (Palacio Municipal) on February 29.
  • The Finnish band Lordi will present its album Killection at Shoki Live on February 29.
  • Sergio Dalma, the Catalan artist, will sing his greatest hits in Teatro Real on March 1 to celebrate his 3oth birthday .
  • Salvatore Adamo, the Italian-Belgian singer-songwriter, will return on stage in Teatro Nuevo Apolo on March 3.
  • The American rock band Nada Surf will perform in La Riviera on March 6.
  • Pablo Milanés will perform his greatest hits on March 6 at El Invernadero (Plaza de toros Monumental de Las Ventas).
  • Camela, the most famous Spanish duo, will be presenting their album Rebobinando on March 7 at WiZink Center.
  • Maluma, the Colombian singer, is on his 11:11 World Tour and will perform on March 29 (WiZink Center).

Related article: Songs about Spain by Foreign Music Artists

music concert

Photo via Pixabay

Concerts from April to June 2020

  • The Spanish band Mago de Oz will be presenting its latest album Ira Dei during its Tour Funeral 2020. The concert will take place on April 19 at La Riviera.
  • Pablo Alborán will be performing his Prometo Solidario on April 4 (WiZink Center).
  • The American musician Bon Iver will be presenting his album i,i, at WiZink Center on April 16.
  • The indie band Izal is on its new tour El final del viaje – Autoterapia Vol. 2, and will be performing on April 17 and 18 at WiZink Center.
  • Puerto Rican performer Chayanne is – after ten years! – back in Spain to perform at WiZink Center on April 20.
  • Dua Lipa with her album Future Nostalgia will be performing at WiZink Center on April 26.
  • Lola Índigo is on stage on May 2 with her show Akelarre – La noche de las brujas (WiZink Center).
  • Evanescence is back on May 3, and better than ever, with its greatest hits at Palacio Vistalegre Arena.
  • Harry Stiles, the former One Direction member, will be presenting his second album Fine Line at WiZink Center on May 18.
  • Pastora Soler is on stage again on June 14 with her album Sentir (WiZink Center).
  • Marc Anthony will be performing his album Opus at IFEMA – Feria de Madrid on June 16.
  • John Fogerty will give a concert at WiZink Center on June 17.
  • Newcomer artist Beret will be presenting his album Prisma on June 28 (WiZink Center).

Concerts from July to December 2020

  • Camila Cabello will be at WiZink Center on July 1 for her The Romance Tour.
  • Aerosmith’s 50th anniversary will be celebrated at Wanda Metropolitan Stadium on July 3.
  • Alicia Keys will visit Spain on July 4 to present her seventh album (WiZink Center).
  • Queen and Adam Lambert will perform their greatest hits together on July 7 and 8 (WiZink Center).
  • Galician singer Miriam Rodríguez will be performing her album La dirección de tu suerte on July 25 at Teatro Real.
  • Lenny Kravitz will be at WiZink Center on July 26 with his tour Here to love.
  • Dani Martin will be performing parts of his musical career on October 9, 10, 16 and 17 with his tour Lo que me dé la gana (WiZink Center).
  • Passenger will be at La Riviera on October 14 presenting his album Sometimes It’s Something, Sometimes It’s Nothing at All.
  • Texas, the Scottish band, will be back in Spain on November 28 to commemorate their debut album Southside (Palacio Vistalegre Arena).
  • Singer-songwriter José Luis Perales is doing his final tour Baladas para una despedida and will perform at WiZink Center on December 16 and 17.

What is your favourite concert on Madrid’s 2020 calendar?

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What is Rent Protection Insurance? https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/rent-protection-insurance/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/rent-protection-insurance/#respond Wed, 11 Mar 2020 11:05:48 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=10964

Not having to worry about complicated situations when renting out your home is priceless, and that is basically what rent protection insurance (or rent guarantee insurance) is all about.

But what does rent protection insurance really mean, and what does it actually cover? Today’s article by ShMadrid will focus on this type of insurance.

Related article: Who Pays for the IBI; Buyer or Seller?

What is rent protection insurance and how does it work?

keys in hands

Photo via Pixabay

It is more and more common these days to take out insurance for the non-payment of rent by tenants, and this makes home owners more sure that they will keep receiving income from their property. Taking on the role of landlord is not always that easy. The most complicated part is, in fact, finding tenants who meet your expectations.

The risk of renting out your property is absolutely worth it when you receive monthly rent, but what happens when a tenant suddenly stops paying? Non-payment of rent is something that keeps many landlords up at night. And an unpleasant situation with a tenant because of overconfidence or bad luck is definitely not on any home owner’s wish list.

Rent protection insurance offers financial guarantees for the rent you are supposed to receive. Having this type of policy offers some form of security, which is key when deciding to rent out your property.

Many people are unaware of this type of insurance, or do not know the ins and outs, so we are going to list a few specifics here, in order for you to learn what it consists of, and why it is more complete than a traditional home insurance policy, which is subject to this type of clause.

Related article: How to Rent Out Property in Madrid

white apartment building

Photo via Pixabay

Currently there are different types of rent protection insurance, and they provide different coverages, adapted to the needs of each home owner. These are the main guarantees they offer:

  • Non-payment of rent. If it happens that tenants stop paying rent, rent protection insurance covers the outstanding monthly payments. The options are: 6, 9 or 12 months.
  • Eviction expenses. If the situation becomes too complicated, and you see no other way out than to evict the tenants, the insurance covers lock changing costs.
  • Vandalism caused by tenants. Sometimes you have to fix damages caused by acts of vandalism. Rent protection insurance covers damages caused by your tenant.
  • Legal advice by telephone. If you have any doubts or questions on legal matters (related to your home), the insurance helpdesk can – quickly and accurately – provide you with necessary answers and solutions.
  • Legal defence. Your interests will be protected by professionals with extensive legal experience.

If you have decided to rent out your property, consider taking out an insurance policy for the non-payment of rent. Ask for several quotes with different insurance companies, and compare these to find the one that suits your situation best. Once you have signed with an insurance company, just follow its instructions to successfully rent out your property to tenants.

Some insurance companies even offer the possibility to check potential tenants, to select the best one for you. Once they have decided on a positive candidate, you can have peace of mind for renting your property out to the best possible tenant, and feel a sense of security because of the coverage the insurance offers.

Have you considered taking out rent protection insurance?

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Madrid’s Holy Week Activities in 2020 https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/holy-week-2020/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/holy-week-2020/#respond Mon, 09 Mar 2020 10:56:28 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=10948

Thousands of people visit Madrid during Holy Week to witness some of the processions passing through the streets of the city. The sounds of trumpets and drums, the colourful costumes and the passion of those present, are what Holy Week (or Semana Santa) in Madrid is all about. Today’s article by ShMadrid will tell you more.

Related article: What to Do in Madrid during Holy Week

2020 Calendar of the best Holy Week activities in Madrid

Madrid always celebrates Holy Week with true devotion. Concerts with sacred music take place in its churches, while priest fraternities leave in procession, after having been preparing themselves thoroughly throughout the entire year.

virgin mary

Photo via Pixabay

Festive events actually begin a few days before the official start of Holy Week, although the calendar indicates that in 2020 it is from April 5 to 12. During these days, the brotherhood will visit the streets with different processions. The following Holy Week processions really stand out:

  • On April 5 at 19:00h, on Palm Sunday:
    • La Procesión de los Estudiantes will take place. El Cristo de la Fe y el Perdón will leave from Basilica Pontificia de San Miguel, which is at Carrer San Justo in the district of Centro.
  • On April 8 at 20:15h, on Holy Wednesday:
    • La Procesión de los Gitanos will take place. It will leave from Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Luis in Carrer de Carmen, which is also in Centro.
  • On April 9 at 19:00h, on Holy Thursday:
    • La Procesión del Pobre will take place. The procession of María Santísima del Dulce Nombre y Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno El Pobre will start at Iglesia de San Pedro (in Centro).
    • La Procesión del Divino Cautivo will leave from Colegio Calasancio (in the district of Salamanca).
    • La Procesión del Gran Poder y la Macarena will start at Real Colegiata de San Isidro (from the district of Centro).

Related article: Enjoy Your Spring in Madrid

holy cross

Photo via Pixabay

  • On April 10, on Good Friday, there will be the highest number of processions:
    • La Procesión de Jesús de Medinaceli will start at 19:00h and will depart from Basílica de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Medinaceli  (Plaza de Jesús in Centro).
    • La Procesión del Cristo de los Alabarderos will start at 19:00h at the Royal Palace.
    • La Procesión del Silencio will start at 19:00h at Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo de la Fe (in Calle de Atocha).
    • La Procesión del Divino Cautivo starts at 19:30h from Colegio Calasancio  (Calle General Díaz Porlier in the district of Salamanca).
    • La Procesión de los Siete Dolores starts at 19:30h at Iglesia de Santa Cruz from Colegio Calasancio  (in Calle de Atocha).
  • On April 11, on Holy Saturday:
    • La Procesión de la Soledad (a parade with drums and Santo Entierro de Móstoles) will leave at 16:00h from Iglesia de las Calatravas (at Calle Alcalá).
    • La Procesión de la Dolorosa starts at 20:00h and will begin at Basílica de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Medinaceli (at Plaza de Jesús in Centro).
  • On April 12, on Easter Sunday:
    • La Tamborrada will start at Plaza Mayor at 12:00.

In addition to all the processions mentioned in this blog article, Madrid City Council organizes several special concerts with Baroque music and Gregorian chants in its churches. The programme is varied and includes workshops, flamenco saetas (emotional songs) and theatre performances.

Which of these Holy Week activities will you be joining?

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What is Happening on Madrid’s Real Estate Market in 2020? https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/real-estate-market-2020/ https://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/real-estate-market-2020/#respond Fri, 06 Mar 2020 09:00:25 +0000 http://www.shmadrid.com/blog/en/?p=10923

Spain is one of the safest countries to invest in when it comes to real estate, which is why many foreign investors decide to acquire property in our country. They do so in every important Spanish city, like for example Madrid and Barcelona.

So this raises the following question: Is now really the right time to buy your (first) home and invest all of your life savings? Today’s article by ShMadrid will highlight 2020’s real estate market, and whether you should consider buying a house or apartment this year.

Related article: 3 Real Estate Trends in 2020

What is Madrid’s real estate market like in 2020?

Madrid is one of the most touristic cities in Spain, and lots of foreigners choose the city to start a new life, or to visit the capital every now and then. The year 2020, however, may not be the best time to invest in your new home for several reasons.

buildings with street in between

Photo via Pixabay

Property prices – both when renting or buying – have skyrocketed, especially when you compare these prices to Madrid’s average salaries. In addition to this, it is impossible for Madrid to expand any more than it already has. If you would like to buy a house in Madrid, it is therefore wise to wait just a little longer, because prices simply are too high at the moment.

This also means that, if you were thinking of buying property as an investment, the situation on the real estate market is complicated, because prices may not rise any further. A good conclusion would be to say that there is too much uncertainty on Madrid’s housing market in 2020.

When it concerns younger and first time potential home owners, prices should be good enough to persuade them to take that first step on the real estate market. In the last few years there was an increase in newly built homes, but unfortunately this is not the case for this year. The motivation to invest in the construction of new homes has vanished…

Young people want to be independent and buy their first home, but the real estate industry has not yet worked on a solution to make this possible. And this is exactly what should be done: create options for a large group of young people, who have low salaries, little savings and cannot yet afford the costs of owning a house.

Related article: 5 Real Estate Challenges for Madrid in 2020

Property developers in Madrid and other Spanish cities should work on offering more affordable housing, while the financial sector should explore how young people can finance  a first mortgage and the costs that come with it.

neighbourhood with clouds above

Photo via Pixabay

In many cases people can afford monthly mortgage payments, but they just don’t have the 20% down payment in their savings account that is needed when buying property. And although it is complicated, it is not entirely impossible… Because what if there were different approaches to meeting young people’s demands?

For example: offering different ways to pay for mortgage entrance fees, using different construction techniques to reduce building times and costs, offering different fiscal options, controlling real estate prices, etc. But first and foremost, political stability is needed, because measures will only be effective for a longer period of time if new homes are being built, employment opportunities improve and the economy grows.

After all we have previously mentioned, we can say that the safest investment right now is the luxury real estate segment. The city has many interesting places for foreigners to stay at, like apartments that are only a few minutes away from the city centre or that are conveniently located near the airport.

Besides these key features, Madrid’s real estate is, of course, also worth investing in for the following reasons: good climate, good quality of life, economic stability, many cultural and leisure options, low cost of living (compared to their home country or city), residential projects by prestigious architects, and square meter prices that are lower than in other European cities, like London and Paris.

How would you positively influence Madrid’s real estate market in 2020?

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